President's House
Also known as: Hill, Benjamin H., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1856 by John Thomas Grant, this Greek Revival house at 570 Prince Avenue in Athens is the residence of the University of Georgia's president. A three-sided peristyle of fourteen Corinthian columns rises two stories above an English basement, and the clapboard walls are painted white with green shutters. Inside, a center-hall plan holds a double parlor with twin white marble fireplaces, original French crystal chandeliers and an ornate stairway with octagonal details. A boxwood parterre garden and two large magnolias front the house, while an informal rear garden includes a rose garden. Benjamin H. Hill later owned the home and lived there while elected to the U.S. House and Senate. James White, founder of the First National Bank of Athens, bought it in 1883. The Bradley Foundation of Columbus gave it to the university, which acquired it in 1949 and restored the house and grounds. It is valued for its architecture, landscape design and its role as the president's home.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture, paired with a matching formal garden that shows the union of architecture and landscape architecture in Georgia's Piedmont. It is also tied to Benjamin H. Hill, who lived there while elected to the U.S. House and Senate, and to its role as the university president's home.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000380, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 570 Prince Ave., Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Clarke County |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000380 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1856) |
| Architect / builder | John Thomas Grant (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, occupied, and used for official University social functions; the University restored the house and grounds after acquiring it in 1949. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Within district | Boulevard Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.96153, -83.38631 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000380.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7241163
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.